This application claims the priority of German Patent Document 100 23 570.0, filed May 15, 2000, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a motor vehicle having a lamp unit. A motor vehicle of this type, which can be taken as shown in German Reference DE 197 32 301 A1, has a lamp unit arranged on the front end of a supporting structure of the vehicle. In this case, a reflector forms a constructional unit together with a transparent lens and a lamp housing. The unit is held by a tubular, energy-absorbing deformation element surrounding the circumference of the constructional unit. For this purpose, the constructional unit can be inserted in the axial direction into the tubular deformation element and can be secured in the fitted position. The deformation element is supported axially on a wheel house wall and collapses, with a reduction in length, when subjected to excessive impact stress. However, the known arrangement is costly in terms of material and is relatively heavy.
An object of the present invention is to provide a motor vehicle having a lamp unit which can be constructed in a significantly simplified manner and can be produced at a lighter weight.
According to the invention, the lamp housing itself is designed as an energy-absorbing deformation element, with the saving on components making possible a simplified and cost-effective construction of the lamp unit. The arrangement with the lamp unit can be designed to be interchanged in a simple manner, so that when, subjected to light or medium impact stresses, only the housing of the lamp unit is deformed and can then be interchanged in a relatively cost-effective manner.
When the opposite surface of the supporting structure is arranged in a largely vertical vehicle transverse plane and runs approximately parallel to the rear end side of the lamp housing, a particularly effective support of the lamp housing on the supporting structure can be provided.
A lens, which is made of impact-resistant polycarbonate and is fixedly connected along its circumference to the outwardly facing end side of the lamp housing for the purpose of uniformly distributing occurring crash which occur has proven particularly advantageous.
The opposite surface is preferably designed as a region of an end wall which separates the region of minimal damage of the supporting structure from the crumple zone lying behind it in the event of more severe crashes. In this case, the components situated in front of the end wall, such as the lamp units, can be deformed in a crash without the structure lying behind it undergoing deformation beforehand.
The arrangement can be exchanged in a particularly simple manner by means of a lamp housing which can be inserted into guides and when inserted fitted position can be secured in its final position.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.